2011 Tribeca Film Festival: Actress Rachel Bilson in Chanel Haute Couture!

Red Carpet Pretty of The Week...

Actress Rachel Bilson in Chanel Haute Couture Spring 201o, 2011 Tribeca Film Festival

Last night was the Debut of Karl Lagerfeld and Rachel Bilson's Original Film Series Inspired by Magnum Ice Cream (say what??), at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Actress Rachel Bilson looked soooo pretty in a Chanel Spring 2010 Haute Couture dress (yes, kids HAUTE COUTURE and maybe worth about $30,000 if she were to actually buy it!).

Karl Lagerfeld was there, in his black suit "uniform" and signature high-collared dress shirt and along with...

A flowery Anna Wintour (she is embracing a Spring 2011 Trend 110%!!!). I love a woman in prints, especially when she can get away with it! She's like "Umm, kids, I am here!! Step aside!"

83rd Annual Academy Awards: Who Wore What? 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars Party Part 1!!

A-List Bash Fashion:

Smoldering Blue Velvet: Tom Ford in his own design (of course)--Seriously: PERFECTION!!!

The 83rd Academy Awards wasn't the only "Red Carpet Game In Town" kids. Last night, of course, there were also the Parties! And the "Daddy" of all Oscar parties was the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars bash held at Sunset Tower in West Hollywood. The fashions at these parties can sometimes be more entertaining than what you would have seen at the actual Academy Awards. Top actors, celebs, designers, agents and everyone A-List (who gets invited of course) vie for an invitation and when they get it, well, its time to don their finest. Some actresses did full-on gowns, some did cocktail...

Let's take a look at some who were A-List enough to be invited to the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscars Party and what they wore:

Kate Beckinsale: Kate looks AMAZING in this all-over sequined black gown featuring see-through chiffon sleeve insets. The black clutch and simple-yet-elegant diamond drop earrings finish off her look perfectly.

Emma Roberts: I love this dark silver-gray deep v-neck Jenny Packham gown with sleeves (a Red Carpet Trend kids) and "sunburst" paillette sequin detail.

Ginnifer Goodwin: Love the hair, love the dress, love the entire look! She is definitely "On Trend" with this black lace-and-red satin cocktail dress. She's kind of vibing "Young Hollywood Spanish Contessa". Chic and seemingly effortless; and perfect for a cocktail party.

Lourdes Leon: Remind me again, is she FOURTEEN years old? On a good note: I think Madonna's lovely daughter looks soooo pretty: Love the hair and flawless make-up. But... she looks 26!! And that sequined mini tank dress? And stacked pumps? Maybe the "Dressing Up Rules for Tweens" have changed and I somehow didn't get the "Uncle Nick: Catch Up!" memo, but...I sure hope fourteen year old girls all over the US don't start dressing like 26 year old women. Just sayin'

Speaking of 14 year olds! Hailee Steinfeld was one of the best dressed of the night in her Custom Marchesa tulle confection. The tea length dress was absolutely a perfect choice for this beautiful young actress and I LOVED that for the Vanity Fair party she traded her heels in for Red Converse Sneakers!! Now this is how I like my 14 year olds...the world is right!

Charlize Theron: Charlize looked so beautiful in this one-shoulder Atelier Versace gown. It was simple enough to almost be considered "Cocktail Party Appropriate" but yet elegant enough to be a Certified Red Carpet Stunner. The slicked hair, simple clutch and keep-it-light-on-the-jewelry look was modern. Bravo Miss Charlize!

Taylor Swift: Another "Fashion Homerun" goes to Taylor Swift. Perfect length, perfect color, on trend with the all-over sequins as well as the hair, make-up and open-toe gold shoes. Note to Miss Taylor: Keep It Up!!!

Emma Stone: Emma showed up to the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2009. Yep, you read right: Chanel Haute Couture!!! I liked this dress when I first saw it 2 years ago on the Runway and I still like it now. BTW: That's a $40,000+ dress darlings (if she were to actually have bought it). Chanel lent it to her for a Party and NOT an actual televised Award Show. It's official: the Red Carpet Dressing Game has DEFINITELY Changed!!!

Paris Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011 Fashion Week: Chanel

Black and White COUTURE Swans...

Black Swan: Supermodel Stella Tennant opens Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011 Show in black and white Bouclé suit and skinny black pants

Chanel Haute Couture by Karl Lagerfeld: The Spring/Summer 2011 Collection was VERY Chanel; lots of the traditional Bouclé suits the Ladies Who Lunch LOVE. There was a 1960's "touch" in the square shapes and minis but "modernized" a bit in the styling. For example, Lagerfeld put skinny black pants under just about everything. Couture Leggings a la Chanel.

White over Black: NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 sequin paillete cowl-neck tunic/mini dress and capelet over silk ziberline skinny pants

It actually reminded me of my NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Collection and this fabulous little number form our Look Book on Model Amanda Fields: So coincidental, and funny! Well, Karl, my NIKOLAKI design partner David Paul (it was his idea) and I ...um...think alike? Nevertheless, I love it!

Spiderweb Queen: White with black beading coat over black sequin skinny pants, Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011

Trends: Skinny black pants over EVERYTHING; 60's shapes, boxy shapes on top, fitted/skinny on bottom; white, light rose, blush, sequined details, sleeves for evening.

Themes: Black Swan/White Swan

Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011 Highlights:

Gossamer Sheath: Light Pink sheath dress with sleeves, Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011

Michelle Williams Oscar Choice Suggestion: Silver sequin gown with sleeves, Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011

Shapeless and Modern: Light pink silk iridescent organza and crystal sequined
sheath gown with raglan sleeves, Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2011

Click below for the COMPLETE Chanel Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011 Show:

Paris Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010: Chanel and Armani Prive

The Lion King...and (wait for it!) Old Hollywood is BACK!
Roar: The Giant Lion at Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010/11 Runway show

Karl Lagerfeld and Co. just showed the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2010/11 Collection in Paris and from the looks of it, it was business as usual--in terms of it being a Fashion Spectacle. What a quilted leather bag and perfume can buy you kiddies! In this case: A HUGE fashion show! And A TON of Young Hollywood. Front Row: Vanity Fair Fashion and Style Director Michael Roberts , NY Times' Cathy Horyn, Allure Editor-in-Chief Linda Wells (great pumps!), Suzy Menkes and actress Leighton Meester

Instead of HUGE quilted Chanel No. 5 Bottles (like last Haute Couture F/W Fashion Week), Lagerfeld filled up the Grand Palais stage with an immense lion. No, not because he was inspired by Disney's "Beauty and The Beast" or "The Lion King", but it represented the Leo in Coco Chanel. The show even ended with a Lion-headed male model escorting his stunning Chanel Couture-clad beauty (above). In terms of fashion, it was all VERY Fall: Maroon, deep reds, camel, heavy tweeds, wools and fur. Real fur darling, it's COUTURE.
A lot of his looks played with varying proportions: Cropped 3/4 sleeved tweed jackets with blouson-long sleeved blouses and below-the-knee gored skirts. Very Couture Dowdy. Not sure how front-row attendee Leighton Meester would look wearing this above ensemble, but if she wants, she would totally end up on the FugGirls site in a hot minute!For evening, Lagerfeld showed No Gowns (gasp!), but instead, elegant lady-like full-skirted calf-length ensembles like this fire-red satin one above, as well as...Heavily beaded shift chemises with matching cropped jackets. Love those Couture Booties! The House of Chanel isn't necessarily known for the gowns. Look elsewhere for that all you multi-millionaire Debutantes.

Click Below for Chanel Haute Couture F/W 2010 Runway Edit Video:


Armani Prive:Copper Pleating: Armani Prive F/W 2010/11

Giorgio Armani has always been the go-to Designer for Hollywood. It's been a love affair since his "American Gigolo" days in the early 1980s if not before. In fact, it has been argued that he was the first "non-Hollywood" fashion designer to infiltrate the Awards Show Red Carpet. For this Haute Couture season , he payed homage to his love of "Old Hollywood" and he had PLENTY of gowns for those Couture clients missing something after leaving the no-Gown Chanel runway show. Kass Sequins: Supermodel Carmen Kass, Armani Prive Haute Couture F/W 2010/11

It was all about Lauren Bacall-meets-Carole Lombard with a little bit of Sharon Tate-esque hair thrown in. The colors reflected the intended season: Lots of camel, bronze and Winter Whites. Thick tweeds, duchesse satins and LOTS of crystals...As in sequined "Siren" gowns worthy of any "Jessica Rabbit" in the room...or a future Academy Award-nominated actress. I have a feeling we'll be seeing some of these gowns come next February. His gowns and suitings had interesting pleating detail as well as a continued interest in the shoulder as seen above and below:
Razor Sharp: The Armani Prive Shoulder

So, if you don't have an Academy Awards to attend and actually can pay for an original Armani Prive Haute Couture ensemble, you might want to go for this day-suit above. NO ONE, and I really mean NO ONE, will EVER question your authority in this. They better not. It's worth the price of a BMW!

Click Below For Armani Prive F/W 2010 Edit Runway Video:

Nick Verreos Attends FIDM SF Open House...and Does Retail Damage!!

Bay Area FashionistaFashion Banner: FIDM San Francisco Campus

Last weekend, I flew to San Francisco to make a "surprise" visit to the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM SF Campus, as part of their annual Open House. The Open House is when High School juniors and seniors (and their parents) get to know FIDM, tour the campus, meet the staff, see student work, and learn more about all of its 18 majors. Window Couture: FIDM SF Graduate Colleen Quen's Design on display

It's also a way to "introduce" newly accepted students to the campus. As an FIDM Instructor and Spokesperson, I love reaching out to the students, telling them about my experience, and how to get the most out of FIDM and what it has to offer.Birthday by the Bay: Celebrating my friend, Didi Simon's (left) Birthday at Lime Restaurant

My quick in-and-out, overnight visit began with meeting up with my SF friends who I grew up with while I spent my "younger years" living in the Bay Area. It was my friend, Didi's Birthday. I decided to take her out and celebrate at one of my favorite SF restaurants, Lime. I also got to do some last minute "retail damage" at what is now MY FAVORITE Men's Store in California, Sui Generis, a Consignment Men's Designer Vintage Store. We passed by it on the way to the restaurant and my SF friends said "Oh, you would LOVE this store..." Well, I don't waste time kiddies, so I went right in! Its buyers have an amazing editorial eye because everything was FAB! After meeting my "Bearded Brother", co-owner Miguel Lopez, in less than ten minutes I had found a pair of Hermes shoes, several Hermes ties, Gucci loafers and a DSquared shirt that I wanted to buy! And all at about 60-70% off their original retail prices. BTW: I didn't get everything, I had to "edit" my purchases.

But now, it was time for the FIDM SF Open House:Nick and The Ladies: Nick Verreos poses with the FIDM SF "Divas in Black"

The San Francisco campus is conveniently located in SF's Union Square, near all of it's fabulous shops, such as Barneys NY, Macy's, and H & M as well as the great Westfield Shopping Plaza. They just got a new banner so now it is very recognizable to all the shoppers, business people (and potential students!) in the very busy Union Square Area. Mother-Daughter Chic: Trudy Noren, FIDM SF Director of Special Events and College Rep, with her beautiful daughter Lindsay

I also LOVE seeing two of my favorite FIDM Divas, the always stylish Barbara Cupper, Director of the FIDM SF Campus, and equally chic Trudy Noren, College Rep and Director of Special events, SF FIDM. They are my Fairy Godmothers in the City by the Bay. I was excited to see the campus' recently redone Library/Media Center which I had not seen since my last visit. On display were some gorgeous pieces from their Archival Museum Collection, including this dusty rose colored Chanel Couture Suit from the early 1960s: It was in INCREDIBLE condition and they let me touch it (OMG!). There are so many secrets to a Chanel Couture Suit that I would have been there for HOURS inspecting it--For Example: The lining had about 50 fish-eye darts and seams combined, all sewn INTO the boucle tweed outer jacket! During this visit, I got to meet a lot of the incoming students, pose for photos with them and sign a lot of their cool FIDM totebags (I even sketched an original "Nick Verreos Croquis" on one or two...or three...or fifty!)
It's always fun to do these Meet-and-Greet Open Houses, and as always, I look forward to returning to say "Hi" to my San Francisco FIDM "family"--and to do some "secret" shopping!!!

Nick Verreos Looks at 2010 Spring/Summer Paris Haute Couture: Runway Videos!

COUTURE DAHHHLING!!!!!!
Sarah Palin Couture: Belorusian model Olga Sherer in her "Going Huntin' " ensemble

This season, John Galliano was inspired by Charles James, Standard Oil Heiress Millicent Rodgers, Dressage and the Turn-of-the-Century Gibson Girl. It was VERY old-school Dior; Monsieur Dior would have proud (I think). The show began with 1900's Equestrian suiting that if they were made several years back, would have end up in a W Magazine spread featuring Madonna and her estate in England. Lots of folding, pleating and Galliano continued his obsession with the full-front/fitted back look reminiscent of his "Egypt/Pharoah Dior Haute Couture Collection" back in 2004.A Met Couture Exhibit: Polish Runway Supermodel Magdalena Frackowiak looking like something out of a John Singer Sergent Painting

The collection seemed to be stuck on this "Equestrian Costume Diva" theme for a while until the full gowns came forth. They were marvelous in their technical mastery, draping and UBER femininity. The final gown, worn by Brazilian model Goddess Thana Kuhnen was VERY inspired by... the 1949 Dior "Junon" Gown. The petal scallop shaped hem and the delicate crystal beading were a definite homage. Click below to see the entire runway show:

Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture--
Part 1


Christian Dior Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture--
Part 2

Chanel Haute Couture: Love, Live, Silk Charmeuse...and Bermuda (Shorts)!For his Spring/Summer Haute Couture 2010 Chanel Collection, Karl Lagerfeld sent out heart-shaped hair with over-sized bows, fitted Bermuda shorts with the iconic Chanel jackets and lots of silk charmeuse/silk-back crepe. Asymmetrical cowl draping, lot of bias-cut, and hand-applied crystal embroidery throughout. Can't wait to see Chloe Sevigny try and work one of these $45,000 hand-made wonders in an upcoming Awards Show. I'm not so sure if any of Lagerfeld's jet-setting clients would go for the shorts-suit look but those silk charmeuse side cowl gowns are A MUST!!!!
Chanel Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture--Preview

Armani Prive: Over the "Moon" with Curviform!I honestly think this was one of Armani's best Prive Collections. I have been following all of his Haute Couture shows, season after season. And it has been very "hit-and-miss". Editors are somehow afraid to just come out and say it, but... some of his last collections have been a MESS: Tricky Hair, trickier draping, a bit too "dated" and 80's...and not in a good way. BUT... this Spring 2010 Prive Collection was TRES CHIC! One of his best. At least in my humble opinion. There was a Moon Theme, using half-moon Mother-of-Pearl brooches and curved shapes throughout.It was all about under-stiffening, buckram-backed ruffles and flutters. With all that, it was still 100 % romantic, feminine and Boy, I could see half of it at the Academy Awards! Speaking of Oscars, when I saw this gown above, all I could think of was actress Tilda Swinton. I know she's a fan of Viktor and Rolf and the more Avant-Garde designers but this off-the-shoulder stiffened neckline ivory princess-seamed Gown is SO HER!!!
Armani Prive 2010 Spring/Summer: Preview